As we bundle up in thick coats to stay warm during the winter, there is a population that has already adapted to extremely low temperatures. These people live in the remote city of Yakutsk, the coldest city on Earth.
Yakutsk is situated in the heart of Siberia, which is the capital of the Sakha Republic in Russia. This historic mining city began to flourish in the 19th century following the discovery of gold deposits. Given its construction on permafrost, the average temperature in the city remains below 0°C for over half the year, with winter temperatures dropping to an astonishing -50°C. The brief daylight hours and frigid climate have resulted in a distinctive lifestyle.
When venturing outside, you need down jackets and an abundance of warm clothing. Interestingly, wearing glasses can pose a hazard, as the metal frames can easily freeze onto the skin! In terms of transportation, public transport is the favored option, considering that warming up a car for several hours is both time-consuming and costly. The local cuisine is also exceptional, with the outdoors acting as a natural freezer, preserving the freshness of fish while rendering fruits scarce. Even the residences are unconventional, frequently constructed on stilts to prevent indoor heat from melting the ground ice, which could cause the building to sink.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / 照片：維基共享資源
Despite these challenges, Yakutsk is home to numerous awe-inspiring sights. The Kingdom of Permafrost, a museum established in 2005, is among them. This tourist attraction features ice sculptures and tunnels that remain perpetually frozen. Additionally, it exhibits ancient clothing crafted from bear or deer fur, displaying human ingenuity in coping with severe cold.
Daily life in Yakutsk shows how strong and flexible humans can be in the face of extreme cold, revealing the extraordinary beauty that can be found even in the coldest corners of our planet.
當我們穿上厚重的大衣在冬天保暖時，有一群人已經適應了極低的溫度。這些人居住在地球上最寒冷的城市──雅庫茨克。
雅庫茨克位於西伯利亞的中心，是俄羅斯薩哈共和國的首府。這座歷史悠久的礦業城市在19世紀因發現金礦而繁榮起來。由於這座城市建在永久凍土層上，城市的平均溫度一年中有超過一半的時間低於攝氏零度，冬季溫度甚至可以降到驚人的零下50度。短暫的日照時間和寒冷的氣候造成了其獨特的生活方式。
外出時，羽絨外套和大量的保暖衣物是不可或缺的。有趣的是，戴眼鏡外出可能會有危險，因為金屬鏡框很容易凍在皮膚上！在交通方面，大眾運輸是最受歡迎的選擇，因為暖車需要幾個小時的時間，既耗時又昂貴。當地的飲食也很特別，戶外就像是天然冷凍庫，可以保持魚類的新鮮，卻使得水果很稀少。甚至連住宅也很特別，經常建在支柱上，以防止室內的熱氣融化地面的冰，導致建築物下陷。
儘管面臨這些挑戰，雅庫茨克仍然擁有許多令人驚嘆的景點。雅庫茨克博物館是其中之一，這個旅遊景點於西元2005年建立，展示了冰雕和永久冰凍的隧道。此外，它還展示了用熊皮或鹿皮製作的古代服裝，展現了人類在應對嚴寒時的智慧。
在雅庫茨克的日常生活中，人們展現了面對極寒天氣的堅韌和適應力，揭示了即使在地球最寒冷的地方也能發現的非凡之美。
MORE INFORMATION
Siberia n. 西伯利亞
Sakha Republic 薩哈（雅庫特）共和國
mining n. 礦業；採礦
permafrost n. 永凍土層
frigid adj. 嚴寒的；寒冷的
down jacket 羽絨外套；羽絨衣
stilt n. 支撐物；支柱
perpetually adv. 永久地；永恆地
KEY VOCABULARY
1. adapt v. 使適應；調整
First-grade students can often have trouble adapting to their new school.
一年級新生常常會覺得很難適應新的學校。
2. flourish v. 興盛；茁壯
With access to quality education and resources, students can flourish and reach their full potential.
在接受優質教育和資源的情況下，學生可以大放異彩並發揮出最大的潛力。
3. construction n. 建築；建造；結構
construct vt. 建造；構築
Residents are concerned that the construction of tall buildings is ruining their quiet neighborhood.
居民們擔心高樓的建造正在毀壞他們安靜的社區。
4. distinctive adj. 獨特的；與眾不同的
Ryan has a distinctive hairstyle that makes him stand out in a crowd.
萊恩有獨特的髮型，讓他在人群中顯得很醒目。
5. abundance n. 大量；充足
There’s an abundance of hotels in this tourist town, so I’m sure we’ll find somewhere to stay.
在這個觀光小鎮上有許多飯店，所以我確定我們會找到地方住的。
6. option n. 選擇；選項
The bright college graduate had many job options when he entered the workplace.
當那位聰明的大學畢業生進入職場時，他有許多的工作機會。
7. residence n. 住所；居住
While working late one night, I had to call my boss at his residence to ask a question.
某天晚上加班時，我不得不打電話到我老闆的住處問一個問題。
8. ingenuity n. 足智多謀；獨創性
The artist’s ingenuity is evident in the way she uses everyday materials to create stunning sculptures.
這位藝術家的創意表現在她如何使用日常材料來創作令人驚嘆的雕塑作品。
9. severe adj. 劇烈的；慘重的
The news is warning us about severe weather; we’d better not go outside right now.
新聞警告我們有關劇烈天氣的消息；我們現在最好不要出門。
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As we bundle up in thick coats to stay warm during the winter, there is a population that has already adapted to extremely low temperatures. These people live in the remote city of Yakutsk, the coldest city on Earth. Yakutsk is situated in the heart of Siberia, which is the capital of the Sakha Republic in Russia. This historic mining city began to flourish in the 19th century following the discovery of gold deposits. Given its construction on permafrost, the average temperature in the city remains below 0°C for over half the year, with winter temperatures dropping to an astonishing -50°C.
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